BRING ME THE HEAD OF MAVIS DAVIS

It's a shame to say, but the music profession is a very fickle industry. One day a star is the savior for the next generation, and the next minute, this said same star is a pariah for all things evil. Well, such is life I suppose, one depicted in this film Directed by John Henderson; and Starring: Rik Mayall, Jane Horrocks, and Danny Aiello. It was made in 1998, and lasts for 100 minutes.

OK, I know that it is a sad thing to say, but record
producer, Marty Starr (Rik Mayall), is having a really crappy time of it at the
moment.

For a start, he hears the terrible news that the recording artist whom
he nurtured since her infancy, Mavis Davis (Jane Horrocks), is going to leave him and join
another record label after her current tour. And on top of that, he is forced
by ganger, Mr. Rathbone (Danny Aiello), to help his son, Paul (Paul Keating),
in his strained and lacklustre musical career.

What a drag!

Though, as luck would have it, both of these endeavors give
Marty a startling idea – as idea in which he sends word out via Mr. Rathbone’s
henchmen, that he wants to place a hit on Mavis Davis head, just so that he can
reap the financial rewards before she leaves his employee.

Eureka!

However, just before the hit man gets in touch with Marty,
he has an argument with Mavis – one that leads him to break into her apartment,
and then, by accident, kill a friend of hers whilst he is making his escape.
Worst still, is that once Marty thinks that he is in the safety of his own
office, his ex-wife attacks him – and this chance encounter inadvertently leads
him to drop a piece of vital evidence in her possession.

Ooops!

So what does Marty do now then, huh? Because does the hit
man come to his aide before matters turn out more dire for him? Well, the hit
man does introduce himself, but he is not that very good – which is made even
more evident when he tries to kill Mavis on two separate occasions. Moreover, during this time, the police hound Marty, Mr. Rathbone places
additional pressure onto his frail shoulders, and he continually reminises about
a time when things where more in his favour also.

Poor git.

Now is it possible for Marty dig himself out of this
situation? Maybe by drugging Mavis, just prior to her performing on stage? Err
– no – not saying – because it is too difficult to explain. But what I will
say, is that what next transpires happens on the night of Mavis’s last performance
– because diva’s sing – Marty wants to hide – hit men sting – and careers
eventually collide.

Shazam!

THE REVIEW:

‘Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis’ is one of those films
that scream into my soul “You know that you love me you git, you’re an anarchist
with a passion for all things subversive”. And, to a certain degree, I can
understand where this scream is coming from. I love English humour – I love how
movies are a good way of poking fun at the underbelly of the entertainment
industry – and I even love the satire of perversion and mockery, and how
sometimes you can say more with a laugh, than you can with a piece of well
thought out rhetoric.

However, what I do not love, is a film that is not well
structured, and does – at times – lose its core essence within a dual action
story-line.

Ooops!

You see, what I find difficult to swallow about ‘Mavis
Davis’, is that on the one hand, this is a film about how a record producer
wants to kill an artist who is about to leave him. Whilst on the other hand, it
is a film about how a gangster is forcing the same record producer to make his
son a star. Moreover, it is about how this record producer both loves and hates
his creation. Plus, it is a also a broad satire on the music industry, and a
farcical, silly, profane, and down right longwinded story to boot.

Too much, right?

Though, that is my only gripe with this film really – it tries
to do too much. As for the rest of it, well, it is very good.

Personally speaking, I think that both Rik Mayall and Jane Horrocks
are two outstanding comedic actors, who are able to ‘project’ whatever they
have inside them too the nth degree. When Rik feels sad, you feel sad for him.
When Jane sings, you want to tap your feet and get down and dirty. Also, the
subsidiary actors in this film were great too – with all of them stamping there
ground and making there parts very memorable indeed – especially Ricky Grover, Danny
Aiello, and Marc Warren.

Overall, ‘Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis’ is a British
film with a very British way about it. It reminds me of a mixture of ‘Home
Alone’, ‘Still Crazy’, and ‘Carry on Camping’ – just without Sidney James
laugh. Also, I have to say that it is a very memorable movie as well – as the part
in which Rik’s character tries to score some drug from the roadies, then the
‘rent boy’, and finally his cell mate, is just a blast, and shows how ‘skit
material’ can be translated onto the big screen in a very brash and bold
manner.